How to get a free meal in China
As the economy slows, more restaurants are offering food to those in need
CHINESE PANCAKES, pepper-beef stir-fry, fish with pickled mustard greens: to the average diner in China, these must sound like normal food orders. But to the staff at some restaurants they represent something else. These are code words that customers can use to signal that they would like a free meal. Such charitable schemes are becoming more common, as the Chinese economy sags. And restaurant owners report that an increasing number of people are using the code words.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Free lunch”
From the December 21st 2024 edition
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